The Conference was opened by the President of the Italian Council of State, Franco Frattini, who welcomed many of the suggestions on the innovative contractual models discussed in the Joint Public Procurement and Innovation: Lessons Across Borders (eds by Gabriella M Racca and Christopher R Yukins, Bruylant, Brussels, 2019) that are emerging from new procurement technologies in other European legal systems and from transatlantic experience.

President Frattini emphasised the need for further cooperation between administrative courts, academia, and procurement professionals in view of the upcoming reforms in the field of public contracts (see the Delegated Law Bill no 2330-A, approved by the Senate on March 9, 2022, which provides for the government to avail itself of the Council of State’s support in the implementation of the upcoming reform).

Gabriella Racca (Professor; University of Turin) also welcomed those present to the Conference and informed them about its aims. This was followed by interventions from Roberto Cavallo Perin (Professor; University of Turin), Vincenzo Cerulli Irelli (Professor; Sapienza, University of Rome), Fabrizio Chiti (Professor; University of Florence), Marcello Clarich (Professor; Sapienza, University of Rome), Marco Lipari (Member of the Italian Council of State), Flavia Risso (Member of the Regional Administrative Court of Piedmont Region, Italy) and Elena Quadri (Member of the Italian Council of State). Jean-Bernard Auby (Professor; Science Po, Paris) concluded the debate by underlining the need to ensure a follow-up of the discussion at European and supranational level on the topics addressed in the Conference.

The Conference programme will be available shortly. 

The recording of the Conference is available below.